Frequently Asked Questions

La Paix Foundation is a faith-based humanitarian organization serving children and communities in Cap-Haïtien, Northern Haiti. We operate three programs: Institut Théologique de la Grâce (a pastoral training institute), École Communautaire de la Grâce (a community school for 120+ children with daily meals), and a Community Center that hosts outreach and youth programs. La Paix Foundation is an assumed name of Eglise Evangelique de la Paix Inc., formally registered in the State of Florida with EIN 31-1641309.

Eglise Evangelique de la Paix — the Evangelical Church of Peace — is the local church in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, that serves as the spiritual home and founding institution of La Paix Foundation. Founded by Pastor Elysee Joseph and his wife Yolette Joseph, the church has been the anchor of our community work for decades. The foundation was formally registered in February 2022 as an assumed name under the church's legal entity, giving our work greater structure, accountability, and reach.

Our work on the ground takes place on our Grace campus in Cap-Haïtien, in the Northern Department of Haiti. The campus houses our school, theological institute, church, community gathering space, and is adjacent to a medical facility. Our administrative office and legal entity are registered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (P.O. Box 101595, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310), which is also where much of our U.S.-based fundraising, communications, and leadership coordination takes place.

La Paix Foundation is led by Chairwoman Loudrige Simon, daughter of founders Pastor Elysee and Yolette Joseph. She brings strategic vision, fresh energy, and a lifelong commitment to the mission her parents built. The foundation is supported by a board of directors, U.S.-based volunteers, and a dedicated Haitian staff team on the ground in Cap-Haïtien. You can learn more on our Team page.

Yes. La Paix Foundation (Eglise Evangelique de la Paix Inc.) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under U.S. federal law (EIN 31-1641309). All donations made to La Paix Foundation are 100% tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You will receive a written gift acknowledgment for your records. For gifts made through Zeffy, a receipt is automatically generated and emailed to you.

Approximately 70% of every dollar goes directly to program services — school meals, teacher salaries, educational materials, the theological institute, and community outreach in Cap-Haïtien. About 20% covers organizational operations and administration, and 10% goes toward fundraising and communications that sustain the mission long-term. We are committed to continually improving these ratios as our organization grows.

If you donate through Zeffy (our online platform), you will automatically receive an email receipt immediately after your gift is processed. For check donations or in-kind gifts, we will send a written acknowledgment letter within 30 days. If you need a duplicate receipt or have not received one, please email us at info@lapaixfoundation.org and we will provide one promptly.

Yes — and monthly giving is one of the most powerful ways to support our work. Recurring gifts allow us to budget, plan, and ensure consistency in our programs, especially for the school meals program where predictability is critical. Through our Zeffy donation form, you can set up an automatic monthly gift starting at any amount. Monthly donors receive a single annual tax receipt for their records, plus periodic impact updates from our team.

Zeffy is a Canadian-based nonprofit donation platform that is unique in the fundraising world because it charges 0% platform fees on donations. Most platforms take 2.9%–5% from every gift. With Zeffy, 100% of every dollar you designate to La Paix Foundation actually reaches us — none is skimmed off by technology or processing costs. Zeffy's operations are funded through optional tips from donors during checkout. We chose Zeffy because we believe every cent you give should go to Haiti, not to software companies.

Yes, we accept in-kind donations of goods and professional services that align with our programs. Especially needed items include school supplies (notebooks, pencils, crayons, rulers), basic educational materials, medical supplies, and tools for building maintenance. For in-kind donations, please contact us first so we can coordinate logistics and ensure the items can be efficiently transported and distributed to Haiti. We can also provide documentation of in-kind gifts for tax purposes.

École Communautaire de la Grâce currently serves over 120 children from the surrounding neighborhoods of Cap-Haïtien. The school offers grades from kindergarten through sixth grade (classes maternelle through sixième). Enrollment fluctuates with the security and economic situation in the city, but our commitment remains: every child who walks through our doors gets an education and a daily hot meal.

Every school day, our kitchen team prepares a hot, nutritious meal for every enrolled child. Typical meals feature rice, beans, vegetables, and protein — staple Haitian foods that provide the nutrition children need to concentrate and grow. For many of our students, this meal is the only guaranteed nutritious food they receive during the day. Over 50,000 meals have been served since the school opened in September 2023. The meals program runs on donated funds and is one of our most immediate needs.

Institut Théologique de la Grâce (ITG) offers a 3-year accredited Bible education program in French and Haitian Creole. The curriculum covers Old and New Testament studies, systematic theology, pastoral ministry, church planting, expository preaching, Christian ethics, and community leadership. Students are typically existing church leaders, lay pastors, or called individuals who seek formal biblical training. Upon graduation, alumni are equipped to plant new churches, lead congregations, and disciple believers across Northern Haiti. Four classes have graduated since the program launched.

We currently operate a general child sponsorship model rather than individual child sponsorships, which protects the privacy and dignity of our students and their families. Your sponsorship contribution ($12.50–$30/month) supports the full school community rather than being tied to one specific child. This model also prevents inequality among enrolled children. That said, if you have a heart to sponsor a specific need — a particular classroom, a teacher's salary, or a grade level — please contact us and we will do our best to honor your intent.

Yes — we welcome short-term mission volunteers, skills-based professionals, and church groups to serve on our campus in Cap-Haïtien. Trips are typically 1–2 weeks and are available year-round, subject to current ground conditions. We also have remote volunteer roles for those who cannot travel. See our full Volunteer page for details, a list of available roles, and an application form.

Cap-Haïtien has historically been more stable than southern Haiti, and our team has deep relationships with the local community that provide an additional layer of safety. That said, Haiti's security situation can change, and we monitor it closely. No volunteer trip proceeds without sign-off from our local leadership team. We never compromise on the safety of our volunteers or staff. Before any trip, we provide full briefings on current conditions, protocols, and emergency contacts. We also recommend purchasing travel insurance that includes medical and security evacuation.

Our most needed on-site skills include: primary school teaching (especially English, math, and literacy), medical and dental care, construction and building trades, music and worship leading, and kitchen and food service support. That said, the single most important quality any volunteer can have is a servant's heart and genuine love for people. Even without a specialized skill, a willing volunteer who shows up, engages with children, and works alongside our staff makes a real and lasting difference.

Absolutely. Church groups are some of our most cherished partners. We welcome teams of 5–15 people and can accommodate groups with advance planning (at least 3 months lead time is ideal). We will work with your team leader to design a trip itinerary that matches your group's skills and the current needs of our campus. Many churches who send a team also choose to adopt the school financially — and the combination of a visit and ongoing giving creates one of the most powerful mission partnerships we have seen.

Haiti is currently experiencing one of the most complex crises in its modern history. Widespread gang control of major corridors — especially in and around Port-au-Prince — has disrupted trade, travel, and basic services for millions of Haitians. Inflation has driven food prices to unaffordable levels for most families. Political instability has left the country without a functioning elected government for years. In the North, where we operate, conditions are more stable, but we are not isolated from the national crisis. Supply chains, economic pressure, and family hardship all reach Cap-Haïtien. Our team navigates this reality every day.

While the worst of the gang crisis has been concentrated in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, the ripple effects reach us in the North. Supply routes for food are sometimes blocked or made dangerous by gang activity, which can disrupt our school meals program. Economic refugees from more violent areas have strained resources in Cap-Haïtien. Families in the neighborhood surrounding our campus face heightened fear and economic instability. Our response is to stay present, stay consistent, and keep our doors open — which itself is an act of resistance and hope in the face of chaos.

Education is Haiti's most urgent and most neglected need. Only about 1 in 2 children completes primary school in Haiti — and even public school is not free; families must pay fees, buy uniforms, and cover supplies that most simply cannot afford. A child without an education in Haiti is a child who will likely remain in poverty. But a child who learns to read, to reason, to solve problems, and to know their worth before God — that child carries the seed of transformation. Education multiplies: educated children become educated parents who raise educated children. It is the longest-lasting investment you can make in a community.